It has been almost a full five years since Carmelo Anthony left this organization, and it has also been five years since the Denver Nuggets had a legit superstar. With the seventh pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, the Nuggets just might have struck gold when Emmanuel Mudiay fell into their laps. When Houston found out Denver had a problem, they threw together a trade package featuring Kostas Papanikolaou, Nick Johnson and Pablo Prigioni - among others -and, in return, received Ty Lawson and his off-court problems.

This Year is Important for Kenneth Faried

Trade rumors have been surrounding the Nuggets for a while; Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Kenneth Faried have been the hot names on the trading block. However, two of those three recently received giant contract boosts along with extensions. Kenneth Faried is the odd man out with his four-year, $50 million contract signed last summer. Whether or not he finishes the season in a Nuggets jersey is one of the biggest questions looming over GM Tim Connelly's head. Denver could be one breakout player away from shipping Faried away and that might not be a bad thing.

Last season, Kenneth Faried was not fantastic after a FIBA showing that would turn non-believers into believers. His field goal percentage and blocks per game were at a career-low and he, yet again, failed to make "the leap." Unfortunately, it appears that "The Manimal" is destined for a career as a glue guy and lob target. There's no doubt about Faried's exciting play or athletic ability but production is what matters and, like a grocery with no fruits or vegetables, Faried doesn't really produce.

According to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports, Kenneth Faried is focused on improving his defense this season. That is great news for Nuggets fans because he wasn't good on that end at all.

The Additions

The Nuggets spent a good amount of their offseason on re-signing their free agents. Jameer Nelson, Will Barton and Darrell Arthur will all be back in Denver this season. Nikola Jokic - the 41st pick in the 2014 NBA Draft - will also be calling the Mile High CIty his home after leaving KK Mega Vizura in Serbia.

The aforementioned Emmanuel Mudiay showed out in the Las Vegas Summer League and is a serious contender for the Rookie of the Year. With the keys to the car in his hands, this team will rise and fall as Mudiay does. Rounding out Denver's additions are Kostas Papanikolaou, Nick Johnson, and Joey Dorsey - acquired via Ty Lawson trade, as previously mentioned. Not only do the additions of Jokic and Papnikolaou give the Nuggets a cool core of names to boast, but they were all really good international players who are capable of contributing within the next two years. Nick Johnson is a young freak of nature who will be a pleasant surprise if he ever becomes a serviceable NBA player.

New head coach Mike Malone is a definitive upgrade over Brian Shaw. Malone was crutial to the Sacremento Kings' hot start last season before he fell victim to Vivek Ranadive's weekly shuffling of staff. In Denver, he'll get a chance to coach another fast team and work his magic on young Emmanuel Mudiay.

The Subtractions

The only player that the Nuggets lost in the offseason was Ty Lawson. He was a good player on the court but his off-court issues became too much and when his replacement was the low-hanging fruit, it became obvious that Lawson needed to go.

Player to Watch: Jusuf Nurkic

Jusuf Nurkic had a phenomenal rookie season - making the All-Rookie Second Team and solidifying himself as the center of the future. Nurkic hasn't quite taken the league by storm but his ability to score down low is already there and 82 more games of his swagger will be welcomed with open arms by all basketball fans.

Come on, who doesn't love this play (aside from Markieff Morris who is hardly ever happy)?

Sleeper Player Who Could Surprise: Gary Harris

After a poor rookie season, Gary Harris will look to bounce back. His ability to shoot and posterize players was seen only in spurts last season. With only 13.1 minutes per game to work with, Harris faltered. He even found himself on the wrong side of an ankle breaker at the hands of 2013 Summer League star Dwight Buycks.

From that embarrassment, the only direction he can go is up. A busy offseason of hard work is exactly what Harris needed and this season could be the one where he looks like a 19th pick. With Randy Foye and Will Barton as his only competition, Harris shouldn't have too hard of a time finding minutes as a backup shooting guard.

Synopsis:

The Nuggets have a solid core of young players as well as a mix of seasoned veterans. Danilo Gallinari will need to be healthy and a strong showing from Kenneth Faried and Wilson Chandler could be exactly what Denver needs to sneak up on some teams. Jameer Nelson will also be vital to Emmanuel Mudiay's development and his role as a reliever at the point is so important to this young team. It doesn't appear that this current roster can eclipse 35 wins, but another high draft pick is far from a bad thing. Ben Simmons could be the star this team needs, but that's for a later date. Until then, strap in and enjoy the Jusuf Nurkic Show.

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About the author
Jeffrey Waitkevich
I write about basketball and tennis. I am a strong believer in Magic but only in Orlando.